Winston & Strawn Wins Contempt Finding Against Landlord Who Failed to Remediate Rat Infestation

Our client is a disabled tenant who has been displaced from her home due to a severe rat infestation, which her landlord has repeatedly ignored. In addition, he turned off her electricity and heat and refused to maintain her apartment as required by law.

The Winston team filed a petition in Kings County Housing Court in New York for an order against the landlord to repair the apartment and cease his harassment of our client. When the landlord failed to appear at the hearing in January 2022, the court issued a default order requiring him to carry out a number of repairs to the apartment, including turning on the electricity and heat and abating the rat infestation.

After turning on the electricity and heat, the landlord filed a motion to vacate the court’s default ruling. The Winston team opposed the motion to vacate and won. Nevertheless, the landlord refused to abate the rat infestation.

The Winston team responded by filing a motion for contempt and after months of delay caused by the landlord’s legal strategy, the court found for our client and fined the landlord. The court has also scheduled a hearing to determine the amount of damages to award to our client.

“The Winston team’s relentless and zealous advocacy on behalf of our client resulted in her landlord being held accountable for neglecting his obligations,” said New York Partner David Greenspan.

The Winston team includes David Greenspan and Daimiris Garcia.

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